Blackwell Life
by maplestarstories
Summary: This takes place after Blackwell Epiphany and is incredibly spoiler heavy for the series end - you have been warned. Rated T to be safe since the nature of the series deals with death and the occasional murder.
1. Loss and Shock

_Author Note: The italicized dialogue is from Blackwell Epiphany to try and connect this story to canon a bit better. So yeah, those lines aren't mine._

_Edited 7/1 on a suggestion by Mondhase._

* * *

Joey stood frozen to the sidewalk staring down at the dead body of his friend and former host, Rosangela Blackwell.

"…_Rosa? Why the hell did you do this?_" Distraught, the only think he could think to do was offer his tie as he had so many times before. "_Here_." Rosa remained still. "_Go on. Take it_." Despair began to fill him as the realization hit home, "_Take it! Just_…"

He was lost. His only friend and ally of many years lay dead in front of him with no one to blame except himself. He fell to his knees, lifted her head, and chuckled bitterly, "Heh, I can finally touch you and all it took was for you to die."

The cold night wind bit his face in a way he had long forgotten and for the first time in seventy years he shivered. All was quiet around him now. No more tremors or screams or panic, just the quiet fall of snow. But it did not last long. Soon police sirens could be heard coming to investigate the strange scene around him. Some nearby resident witnessed Rosa's breakdown, her assault on Cory Palmer, and her death, but was surprised to see another man kneeling beside Rosa after retrieving a phone and returning to the window. No one knew who he was or where he came from, but Joey was there none the less.

Sam Durkin came strolling up beside him, focused more on Rosa than Joey.

While still at a distance he shouted, "Hey Blackwood! What the hell were you thinking?!" Joey turned slightly to look at him and Sam stopped dead in his tracks. Joey had such an expression of anguish that there was only one possible explanation. Rosa Blackwell was dead. Regaining his composure after a moment, he turned his fury to Joey, "You! Who are you? What happened here?"

Joey looked back at Rosa, "Sam, I can't. I just… can't." His voice broke and Sam softened.

Laying a hand on Joey's shoulder, Sam said, "It's alright, take your time. But I am going to need some information, beginning with how you know me when I've never met you."

Joey shifted to stand, "I know you through Rosa. You were always kind of a jerk, you know that? I didn't like it but she always said working with the police would be better for all of us so I tolerated it. Even when she had to wait half-an-hour in the snow for you and you stood her up."

Sam stared at him a moment before responding, "Look, clearly you were part of whatever Blackwell did. That's fine. And I know we had an agreement, but now she's dead. You've got to be able to tell me something. Can we start with your name?"

"Eh, sure. Joey. Joey Mallone. Used to be a tailor by trade, but now… It's been so long, I don't know what I'll do without Red."

Sam raised an eyebrow, "Red?"

"Yeah, Red. You know, the kid… Rosa Blackwell."

The paramedics approached them now; having finished treating Cory Palmer they came to remove Rosa Blackwell to the coroner's office. Joey glared at them a moment before stepping aside to allow them to do their work.

"I'm so sorry Rosa." He whispered as she was carried away from him. He then turned back to Sam, "I always knew I'd see her die one day. That was part of the deal, 'partners for life,' I knew it would come. But like this? No. Why did it have to be like this, Sam?! She was so young. So young…"

Sam said nothing but ushered Joey into his car and took him to the station. Sam knew he would not get much useful information, but his job required him to at least try. Besides clearly being in a state of shock, Joey had also told him that he was Rosa's partner. It would be too much to expect any less elusive answers from him than the ones he got from Rosa.

Joey was given coffee and seated in an interrogation room with Sam Dirkin in the seat across from him, "So. Let's start from the top shall we? The person who reported this incident to us heard Miss Blackwell yelling. At several points she was heard to yell the name 'Joey.' Was she calling for you?"

"Yes."

So far, so good, thought Sam, that's at least one answer, "Okay. You stated earlier that you were her 'partner,' what did you mean by that?"

"What did I mean? Just what I said, she was my partner. She couldn't get rid of me if she tried. But I guess she finally has…"

"Did you see her often?"

Joey chuckled darkly, "Only every day. Neither of us could avoid it."

"Then were you aware of any problems that could have led to this outburst?"

"There was nothing wrong with Red."

"I know she was in a mental hospital but escaped and somehow found her way to the front of Grace Church where the incident took place. Do you know anything about that?"

Joey sighed, "She didn't need to be there. She was a good kid. She just did what needed to be done. That's it. It was worth it right? No, you wouldn't know, would you? I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything more about it. If you're asking if I think she was genuinely mad, then no. It wasn't her. It was the universe."

Sam looked incredulous, "The… universe?"

Joey just looked silently at the table.

"Look, clearly she meant a lot to you. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry. Would you like me to call you a cab to take you home? It's still snowing heavily though, so it may take a while to get here.

Joey looked up forlorn, "…and go where? My home was with Red. She's gone now."

"You lived with her?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Do you have a key?"

"No. Heck, the management didn't even know I was there."

"So let me get this straight, you don't have anywhere to go?"

"I don't even have an ID."

Sam had gotten up during the conversation and was now standing behind his chair leaning on it with both hands. The two of them waited in silence for several minutes.

Joey finally spoke, "…Hey, Rosa had no family or anyone to take care of her and her things. Is there any way I could take that position?"

"Did she have a will?"

"No."

"Are you related in any way?"

"No."

"Well then typically her property should pass on to the state."

"No!" Joey stood and slammed his hands on the table, "Her things aren't even worth much. Please! Please…"

Sam threw up his hands, "Alright! Alright. I'll see what I can do. For now at least… Hold on a second." Sam left the room momentarily and returned with a basket of Rosa's belongings that had been taken from her at the mental hospital, "I shouldn't really do this, but here. It's her phone, keys, wallet, and a few other things. At least you can go home tonight."

Joey looked at him in surprise but took the items quickly. He smiled slightly, "Maybe you cops aren't so bad after all."

Joey walked towards the door when Sam stopped him, "Hey, it's freezing out there. At least let me give you a ride."

Joey hesitated then relented, "Okay, thanks."

It was slow going through the snow covered roads, but finally Joey stood in front of Rosa's apartment building. Fatigue and hunger were catching up with him now and it surprised him to feel those pangs again. It was a strange sensation after seventy years a ghost to need food and sleep, but Joey easily fell back into step with the needs. Rosa never cooked at home, but there were enough tidbits to satisfy him for the moment. Now seeking a place to rest, he turned to the couch. The bedroom had always been off-limits to him and even now, especially now, he could not bring himself to enter it. It had become Rosa's sanctuary from him over the years and nothing could bring him to go in now.


	2. Acceptance

Joey did not wake until late the next morning and when he did it was with a groan. Sleep was only a temporary comfort as the pain caused by the previous day came flooding back. He woke up and fell back asleep several times before hunger finally drove him to get up. Still trying not to think he quickly gathered the necessary items for a bowl of cereal and sat down to eat with his back to the window. Despite his best efforts to focus on breakfast, his eyes were soon drawn to his surroundings.

Nothing had really changed from the day before, but the apartment now seemed so quiet and desolate. Griff sat where he always had, the old clippings and photos hung on the walls, but the key element that made the small rooms feel like home was gone.

"Too soon… Far too soon."

There was no one to help him now, "Hell, besides that Sam Durkin no one even knows I'm alive."

"I'm nothin' without you, Red. Why couldn't I have at least been able to move on with the rest?" Not that it mattered now, "What's done is done."

Joey suddenly slammed his hands on the table so hard they stung, "Dang it kid, how could I mess up so bad?! If I had just…"

His voice trailed off as he realized he still did not know what he would have done instead and that somehow made it even worse. The only consolations he had were his stinging hands. That at least reminded him he was alive.

After breakfast and a shower had cleared his head, Joey knew his first responsibility was to tell Rosa's few friends about what happened. It bothered him that he could not change his clothes first, but there had not exactly been time to buy any yet and putting off this off would just make it harder. Taking Rosa's phone in hand, he set about learning to navigate the strange device well enough to email Nishanti and Josie the news of Rosa's passing. Joey could think of no one else who would be interested; nearly everyone they had met since Joey came into her life ended up hating her within a few days for one reason or another. Rosa and Joey's job had a way of bringing up painful memories and things people would rather remain secret. Many people invoked restraining orders as well just to be sure she would never bother them again.

There was a brief visit from Josie that evening but very little else marked the passage of his first day alone. Nishanti would still be gone several weeks, though Joey knew that the instant she returned he would receive a visit from her as well. The idea of scaring that mutt of hers cheered him slightly. Hopefully Moti would still think him frightening even though he was now alive.

The following days did little to ease his mind. No matter what he did during the day to find a bit of happiness, at the end of the day he always had to return to the apartment.

Opening the door was always a bitter-sweet shock. While there was still a bit of comfort there in returning home, every glance at the shelves and walls brought reminders of happier times. Not that it had been happy working with the ghosts of people who had died tragically, but the adventures and mysteries certainly had a charm of their own and usually made at least a few funny stories afterwards. Several times he debated boxing up the trinkets and pictures but ultimately decided to leave them. This was home. Moving everything around would just take away what little comfort he had there.

With the help of Sam Durkin, Joey was soon granted rights to inherit all of Rosa's belongings and was even able to have the apartment lease transferred to him. Joey was shocked how helpful Sam was through the ordeal. Perhaps on account of the number of times Rosa had helped on cases over the years or maybe it was just because Joey had seemed so lost the day Rosa died, but one way or the other, Joey knew he couldn't have done it alone. Joey still did not like working with the police, but Sam seemed like a pretty alright guy deep down and Joey began to acknowledge him as more than just a cop.

Despite everything that had happened, Joey would be lying if he claimed not to be enjoying life. The simple pleasures of the warmth of the sun, the feeling of the earth and water, and the pleasures of eating were enough for Joey to love life in its entirety. There was just so much to enjoy that nothing could put a damper on it.

Rosa was cremated and no funeral was given at Joey's request. Not that anyone would have showed up anyway. One cool, clear morning, Joey quietly left the little apartment they had shared for so long and walked out onto the Queensboro Bridge talking quietly to the little jar he carried with him. "_I don't see 'em anymore. I've tried, you know. I've looked_."

Joey looked down at the little pot in his hands, "_There was this pileup on the westside highway last week, and now people say they hear crying_."

"_So I went over there. I didn't see or hear anything_."

"_I'm… normal_."

The word rang in his own ears. Normal? How could he, after so many years dead, just suddenly be normal? He scoffed at himself, "_Listen to me. Talking to myself on the street, and I call myself normal. Yeah, I know. Ironic, huh?_"

"_Or, at least, I think that's irony. You could tell me, if you were here_."

Silence hung heavy in the air between his words.

"_I'm forgetting things. About being… you know. I can't even say it_."

"_It's almost as if – now that I'm alive – I can't think about being dead. I guess that's hard-wired into everybody_."

"_Turns out I'm just like everybody else in the end_."

Sadness filled his words and he took a moment's pause.

"_But I get it now. I LIKE being alive. Is that so wrong?_" His words expressed a mixture of joy and guilt; two emotions struggling to gain the upper hand, neither making much headway.

"_Is that what I'm supposed to get from all this? That life is worth living?_"

Joey turned to gaze out at the sea, "_I guess I've gotta get out there and find out for myself._"

He approached the railing and slowly poured the ashes out over the water, "_Goodbye. Rosa Blackwell. I don't know how long I've got, but I know I'll see you again. Someday._"

He paused, before beginning again with determination in his voice, "_But until then… I'll try to make this count._"

"_Okay?_"

Slowly he turned from the railing, looking around at the empty road, "_Okay._"

With this final word, he strode off towards home.

This was his second chance at life. A second chance to make it count. For the sake of Patricia, Lauren, and especially Rosa, he _would_ make this count.


	3. Pressing On

The ashes floated down, scattering in the wind, until they touched and came to rest on the water. The water took them in gladly, quietly absorbing them into its depths.

Joey returned home and switched on the radio, seeking some comfort in one of the few pieces of technology he understood. The soft music filled the apartment and mingled with the smell of fresh-brewed coffee. Joey did not really intend tod t drink it, but all winter Rosa had refuseo work without it and the smell brought back sweet memories that even now were fading from his mind. He toyed with the idea of writing a book about their exploits as Rosa had, but he knew he was not half the writer Rosa had been and even her versions of their adventures were hardly profitable.

The radio was tuned into a jazz station that calmed him and he began to consider what he would do now. Rosa's savings, his savings, would run out soon, but Joey had few marketable talents. It had been so long since he was a tailor and technology had changed so much. Dry cleaning was practically unheard of when he died and now it was everywhere.

Joey shook his head to clear it, "Nah, it's not a problem. It's not like sewing itself can change much."

A knock at the door startled him from his thoughts. As he strode over to the door he straightened his clothes and hoped it was not the landlord demanding the rent. To his surprise, Nishanti stood outside the door with Moti. Moti bristled and began to bark, much to Nishanti's confusion and Joey's delight.

"I'm so sorry, he's not usually like this. Moti, calm down! This is just a new friend!" She turned back to Joey, "My name is Nishanti, and this is Moti."

"Yeah, I know. I'm Joey, the one who amailed you about Rosa's, well..."

Joey paused for a moment then turned his attention to Moti, "Hello mutt! You remember me, do you? BOO!"

Moti yelped and ran behind Nishanti and Joey chuckled for a moment.

Nishanti looked perplexed, "Have you met Moti before?"

"Yeah, well." Joey paused, searching for a plausible story, "Actually you allowed Rosa to walk him a few times and I ran into them."

"Oh, of course. Though if you don't mind me asking, why did you take Rosa's old apartment? Were you her boyfriend?"

Joey started, "No, no! Nothing like that. Though we were... close."

"Well, that's none of my business anyway. I'm just an old busybody."

Silence stretched out between them for a moment as Nishanti turned to comfort Moti. Still kneeling, she turned back to look at Joey who was now leaning against the door frame, "How would you like to come over tonight for a nice homecooked meal? You look like you could use it."

* * *

It was a wonderful meal, probably the best Joey had had since being given this second chance. The company was a welcome change as well. Their conversation dwelled heavily on Rosa and since Joey knew all of Nishanti's stories about Rosa already, Joey did most of the talking. His stories were heavily edited of course to hide the ghost aspects, but it was nice to be able to talk to someone none the less.

Nishanti was a patient listener and eventually as he ran short on stories the conversation turned to his life.

"So, what do you do for a living?" Nishanti asked as they were finishing the meal.

"Uh, well, I'm actually between jobs right now. I was a tailor though."

"A tailor! You know, I have a friend whose husband is a tailor as well. Maybe I should introduce you?"

Joey sat up straighter, "Any possibility he would need some help?"

"I don't know. Why don't we go over and ask him tomorrow?"

Joey smiled at her, "That would be great. Thanks so much for everything."

"Oh, I'm just introducing you to a friend, it's not that big a deal."

"I mean for the food and company too." Joey paused before adding somewhat sheepishly, "That old apartment can get a bit lonely."


	4. It's Okay

A job was just what Joey had needed. It gave him purpose again.

The first few months were tough, but it was okay. It gave his mind something to focus on when it began to look back. He had accepted that there was nothing he could have done differently, that this was the best outcome he could hope for given how little he had known when it all began. It was okay, his life was good and he would live it to the fullest for her.

He had walked in on his first day thinking not much could have changed, but he was wrong. Dry cleaning had become common place, not to mention the technological advances that now kept track of clothes and payments. The first time he was supposed to ring up a customer it almost became a screaming match.

"$20.50 please, miss."

The woman attempted to hand Joey a credit card but he merely glanced at it in confusion.

"What? You want me to take an IOU? Sorry lady, cash only in this fine establishment." He quipped with a smirk.

The woman snapped her gaze up to meet his in annoyance, "I don't know who you think you are, but I have been paying by credit card here for years. Just scan it already!"

Joey glanced around nervously, "A credit card, what the hell is that? You trying to scam me, lady? Just pay already so we can finish this."

"What?!"

Thankfully, this final exclamation brought the shop owner to the front, "What the hell is going on out here?!"

The woman was quicker than Joey and launched into her side of the story before Joey could move. As she finished the owner turned to Joey, "Whaddya mean you can't even recognize a credit card! Jeez, you're a real piece of work, you know that?"

Joey stood silent until the owner had wrung up the woman and she left, "Look, George, I was just-"

"I don't care! All I want from you right now is to get back there and do your job. Also, go find yourself a crash course on credit and debit cards. Jeez Joey, you act like a time traveler or somethin'."

This was not the only incident in the ensuing months, but they became fewer as time went on. Adapting to new technology proved to be far easier alive than as a ghost, though it was still a challenge. It was okay though, everything was starting to become okay.


	5. Truly Living

The cold winter days had long since melted to spring and spring given way to summer. Joey's life had vastly improved over the intervening months. He had grown competent at his job and had even made some friends among his coworkers and customers. It was nice to have friends, to go out on Saturday or just have lunch together. Joey rarely ever thought about his time as a ghost anymore. His friends had long since given up questioning his past and rarely commented when he brought up an old song or radio show he loved. To most of them, he was merely a guy that got a bit too wrapped up in history sometimes.

Joey was happy. Really happy.

However, there would always be moments where he would be blindsided by an old memory. One such moment came in the form of a young red-headed woman entering the tailor shop. He gawked for a moment before recovering, "W-what can I do for you, miss?"

"Hello! I was hoping someone here could alter this dress."

"Let me go get someone to help you there." Joey ran off to the back room to find a coworker and followed her back to the front. A short conversation and fitting to determine the necessary alterations later, the woman began to leave.

She paused at the front door and turned to say goodbye to Joey as well.

"See you, Rosa."

Joey froze while the woman looked at him questioningly, "What?"

"Nothing, sorry."

After she had left, his coworker began to question him instead, "Rosa, huh? Was she an old girlfriend?"

"No. Just- just a friend. A good one. She… she died last winter."

"Oh! I'm so sorry!"

"No. No, it's okay." Joey smiled, "I owe her so much. Heh, I literally owe her my life. And I love this life, don't you?"

She nodded, unsure of what to say next. Joey saved her the trouble by returning to work.

* * *

Joey worked hard, even after his grief had subsided and given him room to breathe again. He had been a store owner once, and he intended to be again. He saved all he could and worked to again be at the forefront of technology. He had seventy years to catch up on though so it would be a long road there. He even enrolled part-time in a local community college in an effort to regain that edge.

It paid off in the end, though it took some years to get there especially when his life took some unexpected twists.

The first was meeting a woman, the second was marrying her, and the third was the birth of their firstborn child. Not extraordinary events to be sure, but unexpected. Joey was surprised to find he enjoyed the married life. Perhaps it was just the knowledge that he again was bound to a life-long partner, but he loved her none-the-less. Of course he had been happy to be free, but there was some comfort to be found in such close companionship that ordinary friendship could not provide.

Finally, the day came when he could again open his own tailor shop. The newly-painted sign shone in the sunlight with the words "Mallone's Tailoring" written in large letters. Joey looked up at his new sign then down to the small girl holding his hand, "What do you think of daddy's new sign, Rosie?"

The little girl grinned up at him, "It's pretty, Daddy! You gonna work here every day now?"

"Yep!" He said scooping her up into his arms, "This is our shop. The Mallone Legacy."

* * *

Joey would be thankful until the day he died. Again. Thankful for Rosa's friendship, kindness, and sacrifice. Sure he had forgotten many things, like the specifics of the ghosts he had helped save, but he would never forget the Blackwells. His memory of their faces had even gotten fuzzy, but the important pieces stuck. Though one had been terrified of him and one had forced him to stay in a tiny room for twenty years, the third had done more good for the world than he could ever hope to accomplish.

Though the Blackwells were now all dead and gone, Joey lived on. He would create a new legacy. Perhaps not one as fascinating as the Blackwell, but he would leave a legacy for his children. Even if that legacy was just a small tailor's shop in New York City.


End file.
